Efficacy of Natural β-Carotene Chewable Tablets Derived from Banana ( AA) Pulp in Reducing UV-Induced Skin Erythema.

Background/objectives: UV radiation is a primary cause of skin damage and photoaging. β-carotene, a potent antioxidant, aids in mitigating UV-induced oxidative stress and enhancing skin photoprotection. This research aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a nutraceutical product designed to prevent photoaging.

Plausible therapeutic effects of melatonin and analogs in the dopamine-associated pathophysiology of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a significant neuropsychiatric condition characterized by marked psychological mood disturbances. Despite extensive research on the symptomatology of BD, the mechanisms underlying its development and presentation remain unknown. Consequently, potential treatments are limited, and existing medications often cause significant side effects, leading to treatment discontinuation.

Chimeric peptides targeting the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 variants inhibit ACE2 interaction.

Background: The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein is pivotal in facilitating viral entry and serves as a major target for vaccine development and therapeutics. Despite undergoing mutations aimed at evading host immunity, certain regions within the RBD remain conserved.

Objective: This study aimed to identify peptides capable of interacting with these conserved regions of the RBD across various variants and assess their neutralization potential.

A Complex Interplay Between Melatonin and RORβ: RORβ is Unlikely a Putative Receptor for Melatonin as Revealed by Biophysical Assays.

A nuclear retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-related orphan receptor β (RORβ) is strictly expressed in the brain, particularly in the pineal gland where melatonin is primarily synthesized and concentrated. The controversial issues regarding the direct interaction of melatonin toward ROR receptors have prompted us to investigate the potential melatonin binding sites on different ROR isoforms. We adopted computational and biophysical approaches to investigate the potential of melatonin as the ligand for RORs, in particular RORβ.

Huperzine A Regulates the Physiological Homeostasis of Amyloid Precursor Protein Proteolysis and Tau Protein Conformation-A Computational and Experimental Investigation.

The beneficial actions of the natural compound Huperzine A (Hup A) against age-associated learning and memory deficits promote this compound as a nootropic agent. Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ). Toxic Aβ oligomers account for the cognitive dysfunctions much before the pathological lesions are manifested in the brain.

Altered S-AdenosylMethionine availability impacts dNTP pools in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae has long been used as a model organism to study genome instability. The SAM1 and SAM2 genes encode AdoMet synthetases, which generate S-AdenosylMethionine (AdoMet) from Methionine (Met) and ATP. Previous work from our group has shown that deletions of the SAM1 and SAM2 genes cause changes to AdoMet levels and impact genome instability in opposite manners.

Melatonin Inhibits Hypoxia-Induced Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis by Regulating the Amyloidogenic Pathway in Human Neuroblastoma Cells.

Stroke and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are prevalent age-related diseases; however, the relationship between these two diseases remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the ability of melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland, to alleviate the effects of ischemic stroke leading to AD by observing the pathogenesis of AD hallmarks. We utilized SH-SY5Y cells under the conditions of oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) to establish ischemic stroke conditions.

HBCVTr: an end-to-end transformer with a deep neural network hybrid model for anti-HBV and HCV activity predictor from SMILES.

Hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV) are significant causes of chronic liver diseases, with approximately 350 million infections globally. To accelerate the finding of effective treatment options, we introduce HBCVTr, a novel ligand-based drug design (LBDD) method for predicting the inhibitory activity of small molecules against HBV and HCV. HBCVTr employs a hybrid model consisting of double encoders of transformers and a deep neural network to learn the relationship between small molecules' simplified molecular-input line-entry system (SMILES) and their antiviral activity against HBV or HCV.

Enhancement of intestinal calcium transport by short-chain fatty acids: roles of Na/H exchanger 3 and transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily 6.

Small organic molecules in the intestinal lumen, particularly short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and glucose, have long been postulated to enhance calcium absorption. Here, we used Ca radioactive tracer to determine calcium fluxes across the rat intestine after exposure to glucose and SCFAs. Confirming previous reports, glucose was found to increase the apical-to-basolateral calcium flux in the cecum.

Proteomic Analysis Reveals the Neurotoxic Effects of Chronic Methamphetamine Self-Administration-Induced Cognitive Impairments and the Role of Melatonin-Enhanced Restorative Process during Methamphetamine Withdrawal.

Cognitive flexibility is a crucial ability in humans that can be affected by chronic methamphetamine (METH) addiction. The present study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying cognitive impairment in mice chronically administered METH via an oral self-administration method. Further, the effect of melatonin treatment on recovery of METH-induced cognitive impairment was also investigated.

Proteomic profiling reveals neuronal ion channel dysregulation and cellular responses to DNA damage-induced cell cycle arrest and senescence in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells exposed to cypermethrin.

Cypermethrin (CYP), a synthetic pyrethroid of class II, is widely used as a pesticide worldwide. The primary target of cypermethrin is a voltage-gated sodium channel. The neurotoxicity of CYP has been extensively studied in terms of affecting neuronal development, increasing cellular oxidative stress, and apoptosis.

Melatonin Attenuates Methamphetamine-Induced Alteration of Amyloid β Precursor Protein Cleaving Enzyme Expressions via Melatonin Receptor in Human Neuroblastoma Cells.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prominent neurodegenerative disease represented by the loss of memory and cognitive impairment symptoms and is one of the major health imperilments among the elderly. Amyloid (Aβ) deposit inside the neuron is one of the characteristic pathological hallmarks of this disease, leading to neuronal cell death. In the amyloidogenic processing, the amyloid precursor protein (APP) is cleaved by beta-secretase and γ-secretase to generate Aβ.

AB569, a Novel, Topical Bactericidal Gel Formulation, Kills Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Promotes Wound Healing in a Murine Model of Burn Wound Infection.

Cutaneous thermal injuries from burns/explosives are a major cause of morbidity and mortality and represent a monumental burden on our current health care system. Injury severity is predominantly due to potentially lethal sepsis caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-PA). Thus, there is a critical need to develop novel and effective antimicrobials for the (i) prevention, (ii) treatment, and (iii) healing of such wounds that are complicated by MDR-P.

AB569, a non-toxic combination of acidified nitrite and EDTA, is effective at killing the notorious Iraq/Afghanistan combat wound pathogens, multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Acinetobacter spp.

Multi-drug resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii (Ab) and Acinetobacter spp. present monumental global health challenges. These organisms represent model Gram-negative pathogens with known antibiotic resistance and biofilm-forming properties.

Structural basis of the dominant inheritance of hypermethioninemia associated with the Arg264His mutation in the MAT1A gene.

Methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) deficiency, characterized by isolated persistent hypermethioninemia (IPH), is caused by mutations in the MAT1A gene encoding MATαl, one of the major hepatic enzymes. Most of the associated hypermethioninemic conditions are inherited as autosomal recessive traits; however, dominant inheritance of hypermethioninemia is caused by an Arg264His (R264H) mutation. This mutation has been confirmed in a screening programme of newborns as the most common mutation in babies with IPH.

A 96-well high-throughput, rapid-screening platform of extracellular electron transfer in microbial fuel cells.

Microbial extracellular electron transfer (EET) stimulates a plethora of intellectual concepts leading to potential applications that offer environmentally sustainable advances in the fields of biofuels, wastewater treatment, bioremediation, desalination, and biosensing. Despite its vast potential and remarkable research efforts to date, bacterial electrogenicity is arguably the most underdeveloped technology used to confront the aforementioned challenges. Severe limitations are placed in the intrinsic energy and electron transfer processes of naturally occurring microorganisms.

Bactericidal Activity of Lipid-Shelled Nitric Oxide-Loaded Microbubbles.

The global pandemic of antibiotic resistance is an ever-burgeoning public health challenge, motivating the development of adjunct bactericidal therapies. Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent bioactive gas that induces a variety of therapeutic effects, including bactericidal and biofilm dispersion properties. The short half-life, high reactivity, and rapid diffusivity of NO make therapeutic delivery challenging.

AB569, a nontoxic chemical tandem that kills major human pathogenic bacteria.

Antibiotic-resistant superbug bacteria represent a global health problem with no imminent solutions. Here we demonstrate that the combination (termed AB569) of acidified nitrite (A-NO) and Na-EDTA (disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) inhibited all Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria tested. AB569 was also efficacious at killing the model organism in biofilms and in a murine chronic lung infection model.

The anti-sigma factor MucA of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Dramatic differences of a mucA22 vs. a ΔmucA mutant in anaerobic acidified nitrite sensitivity of planktonic and biofilm bacteria in vitro and during chronic murine lung infection.

Mucoid mucA22 Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is an opportunistic lung pathogen of cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients that is highly sensitive to acidified nitrite (A-NO2-). In this study, we first screened PA mutant strains for sensitivity or resistance to 20 mM A-NO2- under anaerobic conditions that represent the chronic stages of the aforementioned diseases. Mutants found to be sensitive to A-NO2- included PA0964 (pmpR, PQS biosynthesis), PA4455 (probable ABC transporter permease), katA (major catalase, KatA) and rhlR (quorum sensing regulator).

Control and regulation of S-Adenosylmethionine biosynthesis by the regulatory β subunit and quinolone-based compounds.

Methylation is an underpinning process of life and provides control for biological processes such as DNA synthesis, cell growth, and apoptosis. Methionine adenosyltransferases (MAT) produce the cellular methyl donor, S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe). Dysregulation of SAMe level is a relevant event in many diseases, including cancers such as hepatocellular carcinoma and colon cancer.

A Comparison between Two Pathophysiologically Different yet Microbiologically Similar Lung Diseases: Cystic Fibrosis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are chronic pulmonary diseases that affect ~70,000 and 251 million individuals worldwide, respectively. Although these two diseases have distinctly different pathophysiologies, both cause chronic respiratory insufficiency that erodes quality of life and causes significant morbidity and eventually death. In both CF and COPD, the respiratory microbiome plays a major contributing role in disease progression and morbidity.

Effect of impaired twitching motility and biofilm dispersion on performance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-powered microbial fuel cells.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a metabolically voracious bacterium that is easily manipulated genetically. We have previously shown that the organism is also highly electrogenic in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Polarization studies were performed in MFCs with wild-type strain PAO1 and three mutant strains (pilT, bdlA and pilT bdlA).

The OxyR-regulated phnW gene encoding 2-aminoethylphosphonate:pyruvate aminotransferase helps protect Pseudomonas aeruginosa from tert-butyl hydroperoxide.

The LysR member of bacterial transactivators, OxyR, governs transcription of genes involved in the response to H2O2 and organic (alkyl) hydroperoxides (AHP) in the Gram-negative pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We have previously shown that organisms lacking OxyR are rapidly killed by <2 or 500 mM H2O2 in planktonic and biofilm bacteria, respectively. In this study, we first employed a bioinformatic approach to elucidate the potential regulatory breadth of OxyR by scanning the entire P.

Comparison of Q-switched Nd: YAG laser and fractional carbon dioxide laser for the treatment of solar lentigines in Asians.

Background/objective: Solar lentigines are benign pigmented lesions that occur mostly on sun-exposed areas. Q-switched and ablative lasers are effective for removing these lesions but the high incidence of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation raises concern in darker skin types. The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy and degree of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation with the Q-switched Nd:YAG and fractional carbon dioxide (CO2 ) laser for treatment of solar lentigines in Asians.

Melatonin administration reverses the alteration of amyloid precursor protein-cleaving secretases expression in aged mouse hippocampus.

Beta-amyloid (Aβ) peptide is the pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Interestingly, Aβ is normally synthesized in the brain of healthy people; however, during advanced aging, the level of Aβ peptides increases. As a result, the aggregation of Aβ peptides leads to trafficking problems, synaptic loss, inflammation, and cell death.